July 19, 2016

Get it Done

As far as summer work is concerned, I would consider myself somewhat of a procrastinator. I always have everything done about a week before going back to school, but rarely do I get started in July. This summer, however, I need to follow a strict schedule because I have far more tasks to be completed before starting senior year. As crazy as it may seem, the Common Application has already been opened, which means that it is time to start writing the essay and completing resume details. Deadlines for early decision and early action are just a few short months away, so it is crucial to use free time in the summer to be productive and get ahead with the process. In addition to all things college, I have lots of summer work for my classes next year that I need to complete.

To be completely honest, I am writing this post primarily to lay out what I need to accomplish in the second half of the summer and push myself to be more productive. However, I know that I am not the only one in this position right now (shoutout to the class of 2017). By writing about my plans for summer work, maybe a few of you could pick up some helpful tips, or share some with me so we can all help each other make the process more bearable.

I highly recommend starting off with a list. Personally I think that seeing everything that needs to be completed in one designated area makes it easier to begin establishing a plan. Next, give yourself deadlines. If I write a deadline in pen in my agenda, there is a 99% chance that it will get completed, so this tactic is super helpful if you are a visual person and mildly OCD about crossing stuff off and moving dates :)

After starting to chip away at the common app, I have realized that you need to break it up in order to complete it thoroughly, especially in regards to details about all of your high school activities and endeavors. In addition to this I am going to try to work on my essays two to three times a week so that I have solid drafts by September as I know my fall schedule will be very hectic. Finally, once I begin my summer reading for school I will read and take notes every nigh so I can be finished in a timely manner. What is your personal favorite approach to getting sh*t done in the summer?

2 comments
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I HIGHLY recommend you writing your college essay before the first day of school and make the essay final. I wrote my college essay over the summer going into my senior year and even though it was not fun at all I felt relieved knowing it was completed. A lot of my friends did not write their essay and they were struggling to get it done. Once school starts all you want to do is catch up with friends and start to enjoy senior year. First semester senior year is also pretty busy since colleges tend to request for your first semester grades. You can do it!